Apparatus for untangling wires secured to an article



Nov. 15, 1960 N. H. SWANSON 2,960,121

APPARATUS FOR UNTANGLING WIRES SECURED TO AN ARTICLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1955 Nov. 15, 1960 N. H. SWANSON 2,960,121

APPARATUS FOR UNTANGLING WIRES SECURED TO AN ARTICLE Filed April 28, 1955 4 Sheets$heet 2 Nov. 15, 1960 N. H. SWANSON 2,950,121

APPARATUS FOR UNTANGLING WIRES SECURED TO AN ARTICLE Filed April 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fiTTOE/VEY Nov. 15, 1960 N. H. SWANSON APPARATUS FOR UNTANGLING WIRES SECURED TO AN ARTICLE Filed April 28, 1955 Unite res APPARATUS FORUNTANGLING WIRES SECURED TO AN ARTICLE Filed Apr. 28, 1955, Ser. No. 504,486

8 Claims. (Cl. 140-149) This invention relates to apparatus for untangling wires secured to an article and more particularly to a device for untangling crossed wires of wire spring relay combs.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for sequentially flexing wire springs of a wire spring relay comb to untangle them.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for vibrating the wire springs of a wire spring relay comb for untangling them.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cam roller for untangling crossed wire springs of a wire spring relay comb and for sweeping over the wires to align them on a core assembly.

One embodiment of the invention for untangling crossed wires of wire spring relay combs may include a roller having a plurality of staggered eccentric grooves for receiving the wire springs of the wire comb to sequentially flex the wire springs to untangle them. The bottoms of the roller grooves have fiat portions which engage the wires to vibrate them to aid in the untangling operation. As the roller rotates, it is swept over the wires to align them, whereupon a member then engages the Wires to hold them in alignment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description thereof and the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device showing the roller in its elevated inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 6 showing the device after the roller has been moved toward the ends of'the wire springs to sweep them into alignment;

Fig. 2a is a side elevational sectional view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing alternate wire springs of the wire comb depressed by. the cam roller in the untangling operation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2 showing the wire comb positioned below the cam roller;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line 55 of Fig. 2 showing the doors in the base open and the spring loaded plunger lowered to hold a wire comb in position to be straightened;

. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 2 showing the relationship of the parts of the device;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the cam roller; 7

Fig. 8 is a reduced section of the cam roller taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 showing the flat surfaces on the bottoms of the staggered eccentric grooves which receive the wire springs to vibrate and untangle them;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a comb with some of its wire springs crossed which are to be untangled by the 'deviceof the present invention; and

10 an enlarged fragmentary section view taken 2,960,121 Patented Nov. 15, 1960 ice on line 10-10 of Fig. 2 showing the ends of the wire springs positioned in the slots in the jaw.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a base 11 is shown supporting upright guides 12 and 13 between which a vertically reciprocable slide 15 is mounted. The slide 15 is secured to a plate 14 connected by a tubular portion 16 to a piston (Fig. 2a) of an air cylinder 17 (Fig. 1) supported above the slide 15 on an upright frame member 11a forming a part of the base 11. A wire spring relay comb 20 having a plurality of wire springs 21 to be untangled is fed by any desirable means (not shown) through a passage 19 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) and into a recess 22 (Figs. 2 and 5) in a depending portion 24 of the base 11 and is supported therein on a pair of normally horizontal doors 25 mounted in the recess 22 (Fig. 5) on horizontal shafts 26 which extend through the depending portion 24 of the base 11. Coil springs 27 secured to the shafts 26 and the base 11 maintain the doors 25 (Figs. 2 and 5) in a horizontal position until a downward force is applied to open them.

A wire spring relay core assembly 30 for receiving the wire comb 20 is carried by a core assembly supporting block 31 (Figs. 2 and 4) which is moved by an intermittently advanced conveyor 32 of a desirable type into a position beneath the wire comb 20 supported on the doors 25. The core assembly 30 consists of coil 33, a core 34, a spoolhead 43, a bracket 44, and wires 47 connecting the spoolhead and the bracket (Fig. 2).

A spring loaded plunger 35 having its lower end positioned in an aperture 36 in the upright guide 12 is carried downward by the plate 14 and the slide 15 to engage the wire comb 20 and force it downward between the doors 2'5, which swing open under force, and hold it on the core assembly 30 positioned under the doors 25. A bolt 37 passing through the plate 14 and threaded into the wire comb holding plunger 35 is provided for adjusting the distance which the plunger can move downward relative to the plate 14 and the slide 15.

A horizontal driving shaft 38 rotatably mounted in bushings '51 in the slide 15 supports a pair of inverted L-shaped levers 39 positioned on opposite sides of the slide and held in alignment at a predetermined distance apart by spacers 59 and 64 (Figs. 1 and 2). A cam roller 40 having a plurality of staggered eccentric grooves 41 for receiving the wire springs 21 to sequentially depress alternate wire springs to untangle them is mounted .between the lower ends of the L-shaped levers 39. The

bottoms of the eccentric grooves 41 have flat surfaces'42 as they are flexed by the cam roller. A pair of spring loaded plungers 45 (Fig. l) mounted in apertures 46 in the slide 15 engage the upper ends of the levers 39 .for pivoting them clockwise about the driving shaft 38 to maintain the cam roller 40 in a position whereby it will engage the wire springs 21 near their central portions when the slide 15 is lowered. From the disclosure thus far it will be seen that the levers 39 serve as a carrier for supporting the roller 40 for vertical movement with the slide 15 and for lateral movement relative thereto longitudinally of the wires 21.

A driving sprocket 48 secured to the driving shaft 33 is connected by a chain 49 (Fig. 1) to a sprocket 50 attached to the cam roller 40 for rotating it. A gear 52 secured to the driving shaft 38 meshes with a rack 53 reciprocably mounted in the tubular portion 16 and the slide 15. The rack 53 is secured to a piston 53a actuated by compressed air in a cylinder 54 whereby, when quentially depress alternate wire springs. 21 of the wire comb 20 to untangle them. A limit switch 55 secured to the upright guide 12 for actuating the air cylinder 54 to. lower the rack 53 is closed by the plate 14. when it reaches its lowermost position.

'A pin 56 secured to the rack 53 engages a bar 57 attached to the L-shaped levers 39 for pivoting them to. sweep the cam roller 40 toward the ends of the wire.

springs 21 to align them when the rack 53 reaches its lowermost position.

A jaw 58 having a plurality of spaced, parallel slots 60 for receiving the ends of the wire springs 21 tov hold them in alignment is pivoted to the core assembly supporting block 31 at one end. A spring pressed latch 61 (Fig. 2) mounted in the block 31 engages a surface 65 of the jaw. 58 to hold it out of engagement with the ends of the wire springs 21 duringthe untangling operation. A spring loaded camming member 62 for engaging the jaw 58 to pivot it into engagement with the wire springs 21 is positioned in an aperture 64 in the upright guide 13 and is raised by the plate 14 secured to the slide 15. When the jaw 58 is pivoted by the camming member 62, the ends of the wire springs 21 enter the slots 60 in the jaw 58, and the spring pressed latch 61 engages a surface 69 on the jaw 58 to hold it in this position. A threaded member 63 secured to the camming member 62 and passing through the plate 14 is provided for adjusting the distance which the camming member 62 can move downward relative to the plate 14 and the slide 15.

A latch 66 keyed to a shaft 67 mounted on the up right guide 13 engages a surface 63 on the camming member 62 to hold it out of engagement with the jaw 58 when the slide 15 is in an elevatedposition. A pair of L-shaped arms 70 are keyed to the shaft 67 in alignment with the L-shaped levers 39 whereby, when the levers 39 are pivoted counterclockwise (Fig. 2) to move the cam roller 40 toward the ends of the wire springs 21 to sweep them into alignment, the levers 39 engage the arms 70 and pivot them counterclockwise (Fig. 2) to release the latch 66 and permit the camming member 62 to move downward to cam the jaw 58 into engagement with the ends of the wire springs 21 to hold them in alignment. A pair of springs 71 positioned in apertures 72 in the upright guide 13 engage the L-shaped arms 70 to urge them clockwise (Fig. 2) to hold the latch 66 in engagement with the camming member 62. The latch 66 engages a stop surface 74 on the camming member 62 to limit its downward movement.

A limit switch 76 (Fig. attached to the upright frame member 11a for actuating the pistons 16a and 53a respectively in the cylinders 17 and 54 to raise the slide 15 and the rack 53 is closed when the rack 53 reaches 7 its lowermost position.

In operating the device, the block 31 carrying the wire spring relay core assembly 30 is moved by the conveyor '32 into a position beneath the doors mounted on the base 11. The wire comb 20 is fed into the recess 22 in .the base 11 onto the doors 25 and the air cylinder 17 is actuated to lower the slide 15. As the slide 15 moves downward the spring loaded plunger 35 engages the wire comb 20 and forces it downward, thereby pushing the doors 25' open and positioning the wire comb 20 on the I core assembly where it is held throughout the untangling operation.

The slide 15 continues downward until the cam roller 40 engages the wire springs 21 of the wire comb 20 whereupon the plate 14 closes the limit switch 55 and is stopped by. abutment with the upright guides 12 and 13. The closing of the limit switch 55 actuates the air cylinder 54 to lower the rack 53. As the rack 53 is lowered it rotates the gear 52 thereby turning the driving shaft 3.8 and driving the cam roller 40 which is in engagement with the wire springs 21. As the cam roller 40 is rotated the staggered eccentric grooves 41 sequentially depress alternate. wire. springs 21 to. untangle them and the.

flat surfaces 42 strike the wire springs to vibrate them.

As the rack 53 approaches the end of its downward stroke the pin 56 secured thereto engages the bar 57 attached to the L-shaped levers 39 and pivots the levers 39 counterclockwise (Fig. 2) to. sweep the cam roller 40 toward the ends of the wire springs 21 to align them. The moving levers 39 engage the L-shaped arms 70 and pivot them counterclockwise (Fig. 2) to move the latch 66 and allow the camming member 62 to move downward. As the camming member 62 moves downward it engages the jaw 58 pivoted to the core assembly sup porting block 31 and moves it counterclockwise (Fig. 2) into engagement with the ends of the wire spring 21, the recesses 60 in the jaw 58 receiving the ends of the wire springs 21 to hold them in alignment. The spring pressed latch 61 is not released but remains in engagement with the surface 69 to holdv the jaw 58 in this position after the camming member 62 is raised and as the conveyor 32 carries the block 31 and the core assembly 30 from its position beneath the doors 25.

The air cylinders 17 and 54 are then actuated by the limit switch 76 to simultaneously raise the rack 53 and the slide 15. The core assembly 30. and the comb 20 are secured together by clips (not shown) and the conveyor 32 carries this assembly away. Another core assembly 30 carried by another block 31 is advanced by the conveyor 32 into position under the doors 25 and another wire comb 20 is fed through the passage 19 into the recess 22 and the above procedure repeated.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for untangling a plurality of crossed wires grooves with eccentric bottom portions angularly relatedto each other for receiving and vibrating the wires to untangle said wires, means for lowering the slide and actuating the rotatable member, means integral with the actuating means for pivoting the depending levers to movethe rotatable member along and align the wires, a movable jaw mounted on the article-carrying means and having recesses for receiving and holding the ends of the wires in alignment, a camming member mounted on the base for moving the, jaw into engagement with the ends of the wires, and means on the base releasable by the depending levers for permitting the camming member to engage and move the jaw.

2. A device for untangling a plurality of crossed wires secured to an article, comprising a base, means adjacent to the base for supporting the article, a reciprocable slide mounted 'above the base, means above the base for reciprocating the slide, a spring-loaded plunger movably mounted on the base for holding the article on the supporting means, a pair of depending levers pivoted to the slide, a rotatable member mounted on the depending levers and having a plurality of circumferential grooves with eccentric bottom portions angularly related to each other about the axis of said rotatable member for receiving the wires to vibrate and sequentially depress said wires to untangle them, means mounted on the base for actuating the rotatable member and for pivoting the levers to .move the rotatable member toward the ends of the wires to align said wires, means mounted on the sup- 'porting means for holding the wires in alignment, at,

secured to the base for holding the camming member in an elevated position, said camrning member holding means being released by the pivoted levers.

3. A device for untangling a plurality of crossed wires secured to an article, comprising a base, means adjacent to the base for supporting the article, said base having a recess for receiving the article to be positioned on the supporting means, a pair of doors mounted in the recess for temporarily supporting the article above the supporting means, a slide supported above the base, means mounted on the base for moving the slide, a springloaded plunger movably mounted on the base for engaging and forcing downward the article positioned on the doors to open said doors and hold the article on said article-supporting means, a pair of depending levers mounted on the slide, a rotatable roller supported by the depending levers and having a plurality of parallel circumferential grooves with eccentric bottom portions angularly related to each other around the axis of said roller for receiving the wires to vibrate and sequentially depress said wire, a rack mounted in the slide, means mounted on the base for actuating the rack, a shaft mounted in the slide, a gear mounted on the shaft and meshing with the rack, a driving sprocket secured to the shaft, a sprocket secured to the roller, a chain connecting said sprockets for rotating the roller to untangle the wires when the rack is moved, a bar secured to the depending levers, a pin secured to the rack for engaging the bar to pivot the levers and sweep the roller toward the ends of the wires to align said wires when the rack reaches its lowermost position, a jaw pivoted to the article-supporting means and having a plurality of recesses for receiving and holding the ends of the wires in alignment, a springloaded camming member movably mounted on the base for moving the jaw into engagement with the untangled wires, and a latch on the base for holding the camming member in an elevated position, said latch being released by said depending levers to permit the camming member to move downward and pivot the jaw into engagement with the wires when the roller is moved toward the ends of said wires.

4. An apparatus for untangling spaced wires that extend laterally in the same general direction from a comb which comprises support means for clamping a comb in a work position during the untangling operation, a pair of arms pivotally mounted above the work position, a roller rotatably mounted between said arms to engage wires extending from a comb held by the support means, said roller having circumferential grooves of varying depth spaced to correspond to the spacing between said wires and provided with eccentric bottom portions angularly related to each other about the axis of said roller, means for pivoting the pair of arms through a predetermined arc to move the grooves of the roller over the wires whereby said wires are flexed in accordance with the varying depths of the grooves, a guide member mounted on the comb support means and having teeth adapted to fit between the wires, means for holding said guide from the wires, and means on said pair of arms for releasing the holding means as the arms complete the pivoting movement.

5. A device for untangling a plurality of crossed wires secured to an article comprising, means for holding such an article in a predetermined position, a rotatable member having a plurality of parallel circumferential grooves with eccentric bottom portions angularly related to each other around the axis of said member for receiving the wires and for flexing the wires when said member is rotated, mounting means for supporting said member above and for movement toward said article holding means into engagement with the wires of an article thereon, means on said mounting means for moving said member toward said article holding means into engagement with the wires of an article thereon, and means on said mounting means for rotating said member.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein there is provided means on said article holding means for engaging and holding the ends of the wires in alignment after the untangling operation.

7. A device for untangling a plurality of crossed wires secured to an article comprising means for holding an article in a predetermined position, a rotatable member having a plurality of parallel circumferential grooves with eccentric bottom portions angularly related to each other around the axis of said member for receiving and untangling the wires, mounting means for supporting said member for movement toward said article holding means into engagement with the wires of an article thereon, means on said mounting means for moving the rotatable member toward said article holding means into engagement with the wires of an article thereon, and means on said mounting means for rotating said member and for moving the rotatable member longitudinally of the wires to align the wires.

8. A device for untangling a plurality of crossed wires secured to an article comprising a base, means adjacent to the base for supporting the article, a rotatable member movably supported above said article supporting means for movement toward said means and having a plurality of circumferential grooves with eccentric bottom portions angularly related to each other for receiving the wires when said member is moved into engagement therewith and for sequentially flexing the wires to untangle them when said member is rotated, means on said base for moving the rotatable member toward the article supporting means into engagement with the wires of an article thereon, means on said base for rotating said member and then moving said member longitudinally along said wires to align said wires, a jaw pivoted to the article supporting means and having recesses for receiving the ends of the wires to hold said ends in alignment, and means on said base for moving the jaw to engage and hold the ends of the wires, said jaw moving means being rendered operable in response to the actuation of the rotatable member through substantially its complete movement along the wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,331,076 Mitchell Feb. 17, 1920 1,760,629 Brindle May 27, 1930 2,038,722 Dreyfus et a1 Apr. 28, 1936 2,291,086 Lessig July 28, 1942 2,337,055 Mathias et al Dec. 21, 1943 2,337,056 Mathias et al. Dec. 21, 1943 2,493,560 Vasselli Jan. 3, 1950 2,687,750 Weingartner Aug. 31, 1954 2,789,427 Brier Apr. 23, 1957 

